You Take the Good with the Bad
by The-Knitted-Moonbeam
Summary: Hans. The banished prince, the lowly thirteenth son, the monster inside. As he comes to reconcile with his actions, Hans realizes that his heart may be completely incapable of love. As he spirals into a deepening depression, he suddenly meets Laila, the sunny on the outside, broken on the inside maid. As the two find comfort in each others pain, they begin to wonder: What IS love?
1. Return to Agony

Three Weeks After The Great Thaw…

"You're an idiot! A disgrace! A screw up!" With every word his father's hand flew across his face. "And certainly not a prince." On the word prince, his father's hand hit him so hard it knocked his head back against the cell wall. He cringed in pain, and tears sprung to his eyes. _No, _he thought. _Crying is only going to make things worse. _He tried to keep standing, to try to keep his composure, but the pain was over whelming. He slumped onto the hard floor, blood leaking from his busted lip into his mouth. "You are not my son." And with those words, his father slammed the cell door. Hans could hear his heavy footsteps across the cinderblock floor, and he breathed for the first time in an hour. He leaned his head against the wall, and let the tears fall freely now. _How could I have been so stupid? _He thought. _How could I have been so blind?_ He wiped the tears from his eyes, barely reacting now to the chains and cuffs that bound his wrists to the wall. His white suit coat was stained with blood and dirt, and his mouth tasted like ashes. He looked towards the window near the ceiling, and relished in the faint rays of sunlight. Goodness knows he wouldn't get much of it from now on. Standing, Hans played the events of the last few weeks over in his head:

_FLASH _

_Hans trotted along the road, taking in the beautiful scenery. Everything had a certain charm to it; something The Southern Isles didn't have. Lost in his surroundings, he never even noticed the girl racing down the road opposite of him until she ran straight into Sitron. Hans looked up, startled. He watched in surprise and shock as the girl tripped backwards, landed in a small boat, and started falling in. He kicked Sitron's side, motioning for him to put down his foot. Just in time. The boat stopped falling. "Hey!" The girl cried from inside the boat. Hans looked down at her for the first time, and was suddenly overcome with her beauty. She was stunning, in a casual, quirky sort of way. He liked that. _

_"I'm so sorry, are you hurt?" He asked, immediately getting down and helping her up._

_"No, no, I'm okay." She replied. Hans could hardly believe such an amazing girl was bothering to talk to him. He helped her to her feet, and watched her watch him. _

_"Oh, thank goodness." He couldn't take her eyes off of her. "Oh, um, Prince Hans of the Southern Isles." _

_"Princess Anna of Arendelle." Hans gasped. The princess of Arendelle was speaking to him! And she actually looked like she wanted to!_

_"Princess?! My lady." As soon as he bowed, things got a bit messy from there. The boat tipped one way, and while trying to steady it, they both fell on top of each other. And then it happened again. Once both were safely on land and not precariously tipping off the edge of the dock, Hans could finally get a good look at her. She was cute, quirky, and had adorable little freckles. She was perfect in every way. _

_"The bells. The coronation. I-uh- I have to go. Uh, bye." Anna waved quickly to him as she raced off. He waved back, lost in the moment. He didn't realize it, but Sitron had lifted his hoof to wave back. Nor did he realize that he was in fact still standing in the boat. He crashed into the water. The boat landed on top of him, but he pushed it aside just to stare at the spot where she had stood before. "Wow." He thought. "She's amazing." _

_FLASH_

_ Hans strutted across the dance floor, enjoying the party and sipping delicately from a champagne flute. Suddenly, there was Anna, about to come crashing into the ground. He grabbed her hand, and just in time. "Glad I caught you." He said casually as he set his drink down on a passing tray. Inside he was screaming with joy. Luck had turned on his side and gifted him with another chance to see her! He led Anna off into a romantic slow dance, and they talked the night away. Everything was perfect. _

_FLASH _

_ He watched as Elsa's secret was revealed. He and Anna chased after her, but she was too fast. Hans protectively stood next to Anna. No harm would come to her while he was around. _

_FLASH _

_ The longer Anna was gone, the colder it got. Hans was getting impatient and scared. Had something happened to her? "Princess Anna is in trouble. I need volunteers to go search for her." As men volunteered, Hans glanced towards the mountain. "Elsa, mark my words, if you've hurt her, you'll be sorry." He muttered under his breath. _

_FLASH _

_ Hans hung over the shattered ice staircase. His feet dangled over the side, but just before he fell some of the guards helped him up. He watched as the two thugs from Weselton charged into the palace, crossbows at the ready. "No!" Hans screamed. He grabbed his sword and followed them in. _

_ Upon entering the chamber where the guards and Elsa were, Hans noticed two things: The thugs were trapped, and the chandelier above the room was extremely large. "Queen Elsa! Don't be the monster they fear you are!" He screamed. He couldn't let people die on his account. He watched as Elsa's magic stopped, and her face turned from anger to fear. Suddenly, the thug to the left of Hans raised his cocked crossbow. It was pointed straight for Elsa. "Not yet." Hans thought. Looking up at the chandelier once more, he slammed into the thug. The arrow pierced the carefully crafted ice rope, and the chandelier came crashing down. Elsa only had a moment to react, and she took off running towards Hans. The chandelier came smashing down, and for a moment everything went black. _

_FLASH _

_ Hans carefully picked up an unconscious Elsa in his arms. Carrying her out of the castle, he gently held onto her as they rode back to Arendelle. _

_ Once back, he laid her on the cell bed. He picked up the shackles off the floor and bound them around her powerful hands. He opened the door, about to leave. Suddenly, he turned around, and looking at Elsa with pity covered her with a thin blanket. _

_FLASH _

_ Hans opened the cell door carefully. Elsa looked back at him in fear. "Why did you bring me here?" she asked. _

_ "I couldn't just let them kill you." Hans shivered in the cold cell. _

_ "But I'm a danger to Arendelle! Get Anna!" _

_ "…Anna has not returned." Hans was surprised to see the anguish, surprise and fear on Elsa's face. He would have expected nothing but a cold and blank stare. "If you would just stop the winter… bring back summer." _

_ "Don't you see… I can't!" Elsa's face was a mixture of torment and fear. She always looked so scared. "You have to tell them to let me go!" Hans looked out the window at the growing storm, and back at the desperate Elsa. _

_ "I will do what I can." _

_FLASH _

_ "Oh Anna… if only there was someone out there who loved you." Hans let the cruel words slide off his tongue. They stung like the sharpest barbs, and he immediately regretted them. But he needed her to hate him; it was the only way she could truly believe that he wasn't her true love. Had he ever loved Anna? Maybe at first, but as time went on the more he realized that his heart was incapable of true love. Maybe it had become that way from his own abuse as a child. Maybe it had become that way gradually. Maybe he had forced it so. Either way, he loved Anna. But he could not bring himself to admit this or accept it in the way she had. He wanted her to be safe, and she couldn't be with him. So as Hans closed the door to his love, he knew that he was not only shutting the door to his heart, but also his soul. _

_FLASH_

_ Hans stared into his lap in torment. The two halves of him were now at war. Did he go back and proclaim his love for Anna and save her from certain death? Or did he accept his emptiness and turn a blind eye to the evil doings of his own hand? As he sat in the chair, the more he came to understand what it truly meant to be in love. Would he sacrifice his sanity to save her? Or would he relish in his freedom from the burdens of his home? Finally, he made up his mind. He looked back up at the nobles, the decision like stone in his chest. "With a heavy heart, I charge Queen Elsa of Arendelle with treason and sentence her to death." _

_FLASH _

_ Hans watched Elsa fall to the ground, emotionally broken. She lay there, softly crying, completely unaware of Hans' lingering presence. "Maybe you're not a monster…" He whispered, the words drifting like frost across his lips. "After all, they trusted me. And look at what a mistake that was. Maybe they were wrong about you too." He drew his sword, catching his reflection in the glint. He looked… possessed. "Only one way to find out." He raised it above his head, prepared to end her. Suddenly, there was Anna. She stood right in front of him, her arm extended to protect her sister. Hans watched as she froze to solid ice before his eyes, and his sword shattered on contact with her perma-frosted form. He was knocked backwards, and the last thing he saw before he blacked out was the light leaving her eyes. _

_FLASH _

The flashbacks finally seceded. Hans lifted his head up gently, his neck cracking from the prolonged position. As the last of the sunlight faded from his cell, he was vaguely aware of a torch coming down the hallway. He looked up, right into the eyes of his brother, Edward. Edward was the sixth brother, and never once had been kind to Hans. However, as he stared at Hans, so beaten down and broken, his hard expression softened and he cracked a small smile. "Never thought I'd see you in here." Edward's gruff voice echoed throughout the jail.

"Yeah, neither did I." Hans spoke softly. As much as he appreciated his brothers' support, nothing he could say or do would change the inevitable. "Did they say when my trial is?"

"Tomorrow, around midday."

"Ah…" Hans looked at the shackles binding him to the wall. He looked at the blood and dirt that coated his clothes. He looked his reflection in the small puddle of water forming on the floor near the window. He looked at all these things, and only now, after it was far too late, did he see what he had become. "Edward?"

"Yes?"

"Why does Father let me live?" Hans's voice sounded so small. Edward was taken aback by the question. Their father may be gruff and cold and stubborn at times, but he did love his sons.

"Because he loves you Hans. Why would you ask such a question?" Hans laughed bitterly.

"Father loves me? Father… LOVES me?! Why you must be joking!" His words were full of contempt and disbelief.

"Hans… whatever you think about Father…" Hans stood up so fast Edward nearly did a double take.

"Whatever I think?! No Edward, I KNOW. I KNOW that Father is one who beat me like this. I KNOW Father is the one who purposely ignored me as a child for the sake of having one less son to worry about. I KNOW that after Mother died he was the one who told me, and I quote, 'She didn't love you anyway Hans, so suck it up. Grow up and be a man.'" Hans sat back down, his posture slumped in defeat. "So don't even try to tell me what I think about Father. Because I know who he really is." Edward was shocked. Never before had he heard anyone say such things about his father; unfortunately, he assumed they were probably true. An awkward silence suddenly descended on the two, hanging in the air like a heavy cloth.

"Hans…" Edward cleared his throat, unsure what to say next. "Just, don't say anything stupid tomorrow at the trial. Okay?"

"Ha, okay. Whatever. I'm sure you and the rest of the gang would love to see me hanging from those gallows, wouldn't you?" Hans laughed suddenly. "Or maybe, I don't know, resting on the executioner's blade plank?" His laughter continued, into a strange and terrifying maniacal banter. "Or, or the best one, frozen solid like a statue?" His laughter soon turned to a strange crying. "That would just be ironic, wouldn't it? And then, after I'm frozen, you'd all get a chance to slice my head off! Fair justice, wouldn't you agree?" Hans was now sobbing uncontrollably into his arms. Edward was suddenly very scared. His brother had gone crazy.

"Hans! You-you've changed. You are not in your right mind." He carefully squatted down and reached through the bars, resting a hand on Hans' shoulder. "What happened in Arendelle… it-it's in your head, isn't it?" Hans looked up at Edward, the tears running down his face leaving clean streaks in the blood and grime.

"Yes. Edward please help me. It's like… it's like I'm at war with myself." Hans wiped his eyes, briefly taking a moment to breathe deeply and compose himself. "I can't stop thinking about what I did. I had intended to kill two human beings." He looked at Edward, who could see the torment in his brother's eyes. "I was so focused on greed that it made me insane." He looked down at his reflection again in the puddle underneath the window. "And I think I'm still insane." Edward took his hand from his brother's shoulder and stood up quietly.

"I'm going to help you, don't worry."


	2. Put on Trial

Hans awoke to someone yelling at him. "Come on, get up! The trial is going to begin in two hours and you're filthy." He groaned and turned over on the cement bed. "No Hans, you are getting up NOW." Two hands lifted up his feet and threw them over the side of the bed. Now he was awake.

"Hey, who do you think-" The rest of the sentence fell away when he saw his tormenter. A tall young lady with glowing blonde hair, she looked like a ray of sunlight in the dank cell. He immediately got to his feet and ran his hand through his hair in an attempt to comb it, embarrassed at how he probably smelled. "Um, hello. I don't believe I've met you before."

"I'm Laila. Now take off your shirt."

"Um, what?" Hans could feel his eyebrow raise two feet at least. "Shouldn't you at least get to know me firs?" Laila rolled her eyes.

"Ugh, you disgust me. I brought you new clothes to wear for the trial, and you can't wear them covered in dirt. So take off your clothes and get in the tub." She pointed to a steaming tub of water off to the side.

"Oh, so you're a maid? How'd you get stuck taking care of the banished prince?" Hans asked smoothly as he began to unbutton his jacket. Laila crossed her arms in defeat.

"I stole six dozen doughnuts from the kitchen." Hans choked back a laugh, and instead put on his most understanding face.

"Why?"

"Because not everyone can live a spoiled life like you princes, and I thought the other maids would enjoy something nice for once." Hans smile dropped from his face. He cleared his throat and tossed his jacket and undershirt on the bed. Laila politely turned around as he took off his pants and boots and got into the tub. "Here, catch." Turning around just briefly, Laila chucked a bar of soap at Hans' back. It missed his shoulder and instead beaned him right in the head.

"Ah!" Hans rubbed his head, and retrieved the soap from the water in contempt.

"Sorry, did I get your head?" Hans could hear the smirk in her voice.

"Yes, actually you did."

"Well maybe it knocked the sense back into place. Your brother Edward tells me your quite off you rocker." Hans paused mid-scrub.

"Edward thinks I'm crazy?" Laila stretched her arms over her head, and carefully began to braid her hair down her back.

"Well he didn't word it like that, but that's what I got from it. He wants me to help you through whatever it is that's going on in your head." She finished the braid and let it hang loosely in between her shoulder blades. "Don't know why, but it gets me out of mopping, and I'm already here. Are you almost done?" Hans laughed, and stood up, letting the water run down his back.

"I would be if you would give me the towel." Putting a hand over her eyes, Laila turned around and tossed him the towel. He caught it just before it landed in the water. "You need to work on your aim. That was a close one."

"Eh, get over it. It's not like you didn't see that one coming." Hans dried off and wrapped the towel around his waist.

"Alright, you're good."

"Finally!" Laila turned around and picked up the laundry bin sitting by the cell door. She carefully picked up the contents, and set them on the bed. "I, um, didn't know which ones to grab, so I just took what was on top." Hans stared at the clothes in silence. He hadn't seen them since his return from Arendelle. Laila cleared her throat, picked up the dirty clothes and put them in the bin. "I'm going to take these upstairs. You better be dressed and ready to go when I get back." And with that she was gone. A guard appeared from the side and relocked the cell, and Hans was left to stare at the clothes. Picking them up with shaking hands, he looked at the formal suit coat and pants. They were the same ones he had worn to Elsa's coronation; the same ones in which he had asked Anna to marry him. He carefully slipped on the pants, remembering the evening with sadness. He put on the boots, re-living the moment he first met Anna. Fitting the jacket over the undershirt, he was suddenly bombarded with grief. Tears sprung to his eyes, and he caved to the ground, his head in his hands. All the night's memories overtook him, and he was left with a moment of internal screaming as he begged it to stop. He couldn't think about them anymore. He had already thought them to death.

"Please stop… please. Haven't I suffered enough?" Hans whispered under his breath, his voice choked with emotion. But the onslaught continued. He relieved that night with Anna, all the things they did together. He saw the emotion and love written on her face; but she hadn't just fallen in love with him, she had found a friend. Someone to share her loneliness with, someone to laugh with. And he had betrayed all of that. He grabbed his head, but the pain continued. He watched her leave for the mountain, re-felt the heartbreak as she left. The pain of maybe never seeing her again. He re-lived the betrayal, felt every word he spoke dig deeper and deeper into his own heart until his was numb against it. "Please, stop! I'm begging you, please!" He pleaded with whatever was controlling his mind, whatever was making him this way. Finally, the main event. He watched Anna freeze in front of him, an act of selflessness for the sister he had tried to end. As she froze in his head, icy fear gripped Hans until he was shivering so violently he was sure he was freezing too. But no, he was not. And just as suddenly as it had come, it was gone. The moment ended, and he was left with nothing but a tear streaked face and sweaty hands. He swallowed, and gradually stood up. He leaned against the wall for support, gasping for breath, when suddenly there was Laila. She had changed her clothes from a simple frock to a more elegant dress. It was light silver, with sparkles near the bottom and at the ends of the sleeves. As the guard unlocked the cell for her, she pulled her braid from behind her back and fitted it over her shoulder. She undid it, and after letting the braid out gathered her hair in a bun and fitted it in place. Little pieces of hair fell out and gently framed her face. As she approached Hans, he wiped his face with his hands in a futile attempt to get composed.

"Hans… are you alright?" Laila asked. She reached up and carefully patted his hair down in the back, but kept the front spiked up. Hans shook his head, to which Laila responded by gently taking his hand in hers and leading him out of the cell. The guard immediately stepped forward and handcuffed Hans' hands. "You have to get it together. Whatever's going on in your head right now needs to wait." They walked hand in chain, her leading him, until they got to the stairs. As they walked up them and then down the formal hallway, Hans could sense a darkening mood in the castle. The two continued, but Hans was beginning to get the feeling that they were alone.

"Laila, where is everybody?" Laila glanced at him, a frown settling on her lips.

"Most are going to be in attendance for the trial. However, the maids, chefs, servants, etc. all have the day off." Finally, they came to the royal court. Separated from the rest of the castle, it was used as a court for all the kingdoms trials. Laila stopped in front of the door. "When you walk through that door, everyone in there is going to be judging you. Please, don't do anything you might regret later." She paused, and then looked deep into Hans' eyes. "Hans, Queen Elsa and Princess Anna are in there."

"What?!" Hans was flabbergasted.

"Elsa is here as a witness..." She paused, and looked away. "And Anna is here as the stand in prosecutor." Hans swallowed, and looked back at Laila.

"Whose side is Elsa on?"

"Not yours." Laila muttered, and looked at him in fear. "Please, please tell the truth. There have been enough lies around here lately."

"I will." He laid a hand on the great door, about the push it open, when Laila suddenly rested her hand on his.

"Together." She whispered. They both pushed against the door, and it swung open with a tremendous noise. Two guards replaced Laila at his sides, and they hustled him to the front of the court room. Laila scurried off to one of seats off the side, and there she sat down and carefully scanned the room. Hans sat on the wooden bench, but kept his head down, not wanting to risk meeting anyone's eyes.

Three loud bangs startled Hans from his trance. "The case and trial of Prince Hans Westerguard of the Southern Isles will now commence." The judge's loud voice boomed across the room. All side chatter was silenced. The judge ruffled some papers together on his high desk before he cleared his throat. "To begin, please repeat the following oath. I solemnly swear to tell the truth, and only the truth, in this court of law. Should I tell untruths, may my actions be revealed and the truth brought forward under court of law." Everyone repeated the oath, and the judge continued. "I would like to take an attendance of all the people here to testify, defend, etc." He looked down at the paper on top of the large stack. "Prince Hans Westerguard of the Southern Isles, accused." Hans gulped and stood up. He raised a shaking hand as high as the cuffs would allow him as he spoke.

"Present, you honor." The judge nodded and Hans sat back down.

"Princess Anna of Arendelle, proxy persecutor." Hans held his breath, hoping she would be absent.

"H-here." No such luck. Her voice sounded strangely nervous, however. Hans looked up from where it had come from, and was suddenly taken aback by how stunning she looked. Wearing a black sweetheart bodice and black skirt with gold rosemaling, and her hair wrapped up like it was for the coronation, she looked both fierce and strong. But her voice deceived her. Anna returned to her seat.

"Queen Elsa of Arendelle, witness." Elsa stood up from her seat next to Anna. She too looked poised and powerful. Her hair done like it was for the coronation, the tiara in it showed off her regal status. The dark purple jacket-bodice top matched the purple skirt with navy trim and patterning.

"Here, your honor." She too sat back down.

"The Duke of Weselton, witness." Now that surprised Hans. He looked up to the opposite side of the room, and watched as the duke rose from his seat and raised his arm.

"Present."

"That concludes the attendance of the court. Would the prosecutor please come to the front and state the events of the case from their perspective." Anna carefully rose from her seat and made her way front. Clearing her throat, she began.

"Thank you, your honor. I should probably begin with the coronation, seeing that's when it all began. I met Hans about an hour or so before Queen Elsa's coronation. It was a fluke meeting, both of us running into each other." She laughed, probably remembering the moment. "Literally, we ran into each other. After helping me up, I was immediately charmed by Hans' charisma and good looks. Later that same evening, after the coronation, we met up again. We spent the whole evening together, talking and dancing and having a really great time." She smiled, but soon it faded to a determined look. "I was in love with Hans, I admit it. And I thought he was in love with me. He had asked me to marry him after all, and I of course accepted. That is why, after I returned from the North Mountain dying from a frozen heart, I assumed he was my true love. But as I lay on that couch, dying, he revealed his true plan." Anna turned to Hans, and looked him right in the eyes. Her stare was so cold, he had to look away. "Now, I am not here to jail Hans for not loving me. That is petty, childish. No, it was that he left me to die in order to steal my kingdom out from under me. You see, as my "husband" Hans would be heir after Elsa if I was no longer around. So his plan was to marry me, or at least verbally agree to marry me, and then kill Elsa, thus stealing the throne and the kingdom." Anna took a deep breath, anguish written on her face. "But, his plan failed. As I struggled to get to my true love," She paused and smiled at Kristoff, but then got right back into the moment. "As I struggled to get to my true love, I watched as Prince Hans here drew his sword over my sister's unknowing head. I couldn't let her die. So I put myself in front of the sword, and I felt my body freeze to solid ice. It knocked Hans unconscious, and the sword shattered. His plan failed. And after I thawed and Elsa brought back summer, he was taken back here to the Southern Isles." She sighed as she finished. "That is my case you honor. To bring justice to Prince Hans for his actions of attempted murder of both a princess and a queen, and the attempt of overthrowing a kingdom. Thank you." And with that, she returned to her seat. Hans began to sweat. Hearing all his actions, all the vile things he had done, spoken out loud made it even harder to believe that he had done them. He looked up at the judge. The judge was nodding, and he folded his hands on the desk. Suddenly, the judge looked to Hans.

"The accused may now present the events of the case from their perspective." Hans took a deep breath and rose from his chair. On shaking feet he walked to the front of the courtroom, a hundred pairs of eyes staring him down.

"Thank you, your honor. As previously stated, I met Princess Anna at Queen Elsa's coronation. A chance meeting, we spent the evening together and-" Hans paused. This was going to be harder than he thought. "And I asked her to marry me under consent of gaining the kingdom." Several gasps could be heard around the room. "I plead guilty to all statements made previously by Princess Anna. I did attempt to murder both the princess and queen of Arendelle, and am prepared to accept my punishment." And with that, he returned to his seat. Numerous murmuring and whispers could be heard around the room as people comprehended what Hans had just said.

"As it seems, Prince Hans has pleaded guilty. However, I still need evidence of these attempted murders to fully convict him." The judge looked to Anna. "Princess Anna, what proof do you have that Prince Hans truly attempted to kill you and your sister, thus stealing your kingdom?" Anna rose again from her seat, a large bag in her hand. She made her way to the front again, and set the bag on the ground. It unfurled, and in it Hans could see the shattered remains of his sword.

"Your honor, what you see before you are the shattered pieces of Hans' sword. The same sword he used to try to behead my sister. It matches the point in my case where I stated that the sword shattered on contact with my frozen hand." The judge looked surprised, but then he spoke.

"The evidence is powerful, and it matches your accusation. And although I believe you, how do we know that you or anyone else didn't intentionally break the sword in order to have a powerful piece of evidence?"

"I thought of this, your honor. That is why you will see here," Anna picked up the intact handle of the sword and set it on the judge's desk. "On the handle of the sword in question, the makers mark of a well-known armory here in the Southern Isles. This armory claims to have unbreakable swords. You will also see the symbol of the Southern Isles, and emblem of the royal family. As to how the sword broke, I have brought along a normal sword." Kristoff rose from his seat and brought Anna a sword identical to the one Hans' had used. He handed it to Anna before sitting down. "Everything about this sword is the same the one in question. If there is anyone here who would like to show the court that this sword will break on anything other than a magically frozen person, please, come to front and try."

"I will try." A voice called out. Hans looked up in surprise. It was Edward. He dragged a large tray behind him, and he made his way to the front of the room. He lifted the tarp off the tray and took the sword from Anna. On the tray were three objects: a large rock, a chunk of ice, and a wooden desk. With a mighty swing, Edward brought the sword down on the rock. It hit with a powerful ring, but the sword didn't break. He swung on both the other objects, but to no avail. The sword didn't break.

"See? The sword will only break on ice created by my sister." Anna spoke with confidence, and rightfully so. The evidence was incredibly strong. Hans watched as Elsa made her way to the front. With a wave of her hand she created a large ice sculpture of Anna with her hand extended; the same pose she had been in when she froze for real. Elsa returned to her seat. "Swing the sword against the hand." Anna said. Edward looked to the judge in confusion.

"Go ahead." The judge said. Edward took a deep breath, and with a mighty swing brought the sword down on the sculptures hand, right between the fingers. With a blast of power, the sword shattered, and the force sent Edward flying backward. Bits of metal from the sword fell on the ground, and the room suddenly erupted into chaos.

"Order, order! As it seems, the court will no longer need the case perspectives from the other two witnesses. The evidence shown here from Princess Anna against Prince Hans is overwhelming. My decision is made. I find Prince Hans Westerguard of the Southern Isles guilty of all charges. I charge him with attempted murder on two accounts, and sentence him to death by hanging."


	3. Hanging on a Lie

Hans' breath caught in his throat. He slowly raised his head to look at Anna, who was still standing near the front of the room, off to the side. She looked shocked, and as the realization set in, he watched two single tears fall down her face. She bit her lip, and he watched Kristoff stand and embrace her in a big hug. Anna sobbed into his shoulder, her reddish hair just peeping over the edge. She looked so small, so upset. Hans wanted nothing more than to run to her and just hug her until the world stopped turning. He wanted nothing more than to press his lips against hers, to have it really be a true loves kiss. But as he watched the two, so in love, he felt his heart break as he realized that he could never learn to love. Though he wanted to, though his heart ached for love so bad it made him scream within himself, but Hans' knew that love could not survive where there was greed. And so he stood from his seat, the guards on either side of him.

"Let's get this over with." One of them muttered in his ear. They led him out of the courtroom and down a long, dark hallway. In the dim light, Hans could see the faint outline of a person walking just ahead of them.

"Who is that?" He asked. When no response came, he raised his voice just slightly. "Who's ahead of us?" His question was answered with a punch in the gut. He coughed, the wind knocked out of him.

"Shut up." Hans coughed again, his ribs aching from the blows his father had given him and now the guard's fist. He wiped the blood from his lips, and spit.

_You are very lucky I'm handcuffed. _

They walked farther and farther, until a large room opened up in front of them. The ceiling was exposed, and in the faint sunlight Hans' could see a large gallows in the middle. He swallowed, and his breathing quickened. This was real, this was really going to happen. He looked off to the side, at the chairs set up for visitors to pay their last goodbyes. Of his twelve older brothers, three were in attendance. Edward, Michael, the eighth brother, and Cameron, the eleventh brother sat with grim and sad faces, none of them daring to look at him. His father was nowhere to be seen, but the most surprising attendee was Laila. She sat in the very front, right in the middle. Her blonde hair seemed to glow again in the dank light. Her head was in her hands and her choking sobs were the only sound in the whole room. "You have five minutes to say your goodbyes." The guard said.

"If I only have five minutes left before I die, can I at least have them without these?" Hans raised his handcuffs. The guard gave him a distrusting look, but then sighed and unlocked them. Hans rubbed his wrists, finally free if only for a few moments.

_ Asshole._

"Thank you." He muttered. Turning around, he walked first to his brothers. The three of them stood, and they all looked at each other, unsure of what to say. But suddenly, Edward grabbed Hans in a large hug. His shoulders shook as he sobbed into his shoulder, and soon both Michael and Cameron were hugging Hans as well. That broke Hans. He let the tears he had been holding in since the beginning of the trial fall, and soon all four of the brothers were quietly crying into each other's arms. Finally, Cameron let go, and then Michael. They both wiped their eyes, and gave Hans a quick pat on the shoulder.

"I love you man. I wish it didn't have to be like this." Cameron said quietly.

_ Liar._

"Yeah, I know we had our on's and offs as kids, but you're still my brother. I love you." Michael stammered, his voice shaking. Cameron gave him one last hug before they both sat down. Hans nodded, his voice stuck in his throat.

_Idiot. Idiot liar. Compulsive idiot liar. _

Finally, it was Edwards turn. He looked down into Hans' eyes, before a fresh onslaught of tears overtook them both. Edward pulled him in for another hug, both of them sobbing into each other's shoulders. Hans eventually pulled away, but only for the sake of time. He still needed to say goodbye to Laila.

"I'm gonna miss you Hans. I know we didn't have the greatest relationship before a few months ago, but I just want you to know how much I valued your friendship." Edward paused and wiped his face. "I love you brother." Hans smiled amidst the pain.

_Oh God, why is this suddenly so hard?_

"I love you too." As he spoke Hans could feel the barbs in his heart deepening. His mouth tasted like salt water. He said he loved his brother, but did he really? He'd never once cared if they liked him, or if they appreciated him, or frankly even if they lived or died. And now, as he stared at death, he couldn't bring himself to admit that he did not care for them the way they suddenly cared for him. In fact, he felt nothing but resentment towards them, only caring about him now, as he was about to die. He may be a coward, and a fool; but he was not a pretender.

_Ooh, better rethink that one, buddy. _

Hans carefully turned away from his brothers, the pain in his chest a now frequent thing. He walked slowly over to Laila and put an arm around her shoulders. Her crying stopped, and she looked up at him with a look Hans had yet to see from anyone. It was a look of understanding. Briefly he had seen it in Anna, but she had been overcome with love and blind passion. Only now, as he stared into Laila's bright green eyes did he finally feel understood.

_What is this feeling? Why do I feel so… connected? _

Hans quickly shook the thought away.

_Damn it, get it together! She is a maid, a peasant. She is below me. _

"Hans… I'm so sorry." Laila stood and embraced him in a quick hug, but Hans kept holding her. They had only known each other for a few hours, but already a friendship was forming. Hans softly touched her back.

"It's okay Laila. It's for the best." He buried his face in her hair, breathing in the smell of it. "This way, no one else has to get hurt." Laila gently pushed him away, her hands holding his. As he let go, Hans stopped to stare at her face.

_What am I doing? _

"What are you doing?" Laila asked, her tone implying a sort of creeped out expression.

"I'm studying your face, for two reasons."

_Stop it. Stop it right now._

Hans leaned in close to her, his forehead resting on hers.

_Get your damn head off of hers! _

She inhaled sharply, obviously not expecting it. "One, I don't want to forget what you look like."

_Why did I say that? Wait, no don't you-_

He went for it, brushing his lips against hers ever so lightly. She closed her eyes, expecting more, but that was it. With his own feelings so jumbled and confused, Hans couldn't risk sending the wrong message.

_Hah, sending the wrong message?! You just KISSED her! _

"Two, I want your face to be the last thing I see."

_…But why did it seem…right?_

And with those words, Hans gently dropped her hands and turned to walk up the gallows' steps. The person who he had seen walking in front of them before suddenly appeared. It was the executioner, dressed in all black. He approached Hans, and spoke through his hood.

"I'm going to have to ask you to remove your shirt. If you bleed-"

"I know, I know. Less of a gruesome appearance."

_Uncultured ass._

So Hans unbuttoned his jacket and slid off his shirt and undershirt. Walking back down the steps, he handed the jacket and shirt to his brothers. But he gave his undershirt to Laila. She took it in both of her hands, shaking. He didn't bother to explain why he was giving his clothes to the attendees; the executioner didn't need to know. He stepped back up onto the platform, his head held high. If he was going to die, he was going out with dignity and grace.

_Dignity and grace my ass. Who am I kidding, I'm a mess. _

He carefully folded his hands behind his back, and the executioner bound them with a thick piece of cord. Bending his head ever so slightly, Hans felt the rough piece of rope slide around his throat. He made sure his last glimpse of life was Laila as the dark hood fell over his head.

"Do you have any final words?" The executioners question was muffled from within his own hood and then through Hans'. Hans thought for a moment before he spoke, his voice choked with emotion.

"Please tell Anna I'm sorry. For everything."

_Why did that just come out of my mouth? I'm not sorry! That redhead was a pain in the-_

Hans then closed his eyes, and prepared for what he knew would come next. He heard the handle turn, the floor boards underneath him creak and open, and the rope around his neck tightened, and then-

"NO!" Laila screamed.

_What the-_

And at that moment the room filled with sunlight. The blast of energy was so hot it incinerated the rope, and Hans fell down into the hole. He landed hard, and everything went black.

/\

_ FLASH_

_Hans opened his eyes, but then closed them again. He screamed. His lungs burned like they were on fire, his chest ached like he had been punched. It felt like he was burning from the inside out. _

_ FLASH_

_Th-thump. Th-thump…..Thump. Hans felt his heartbeat pounding in his head. But something was off- it didn't sound right. Th-thump. Th-thump. Th-th-thump….Thump. Thump. Thump. _

_FLASH_

_Th-th-th-thump. Thump. Thump….Thump. -thump. Th-THUMP. TH-THUMP. TH-THUMP. TH-THUMP. _


	4. Discovery

Hans awoke to darkness. Everything around him smelled of wet fungus and his body was stiff with sleep.

_Where am I?_

He attempted to get up, but as soon as he put pressure on his left arm it shot a lightning bolt of pain through him. He screamed, and as he tried to gasp in more air, his chest burned.

_What is the matter with me? _

Gently, Hans moved his left arm close to his face. In the darkness, he could only see a faint outline of a mangled limb.

"Don't be afraid." A voice whispered in his ear. He jumped, and craned his neck to over his shoulder.

"Who's there?" He called into the void. His voice came out weak and choked.

"Stop yelling, I'm right here." A hand rested on his shoulder. He winced in pain, but soon it faded to nothing more than a grimace. His chest still burned, however. A dull, throbbing ache.

"Laila…is that you?"

"Yeah." Hans could hear her shift around to sit beside him, her hand still on his shoulder. He took it and gently guided it into his hand. He held on for dear life.

_Why…why do I feel so helpless?_

"Hans, what do you remember from the…" Laila paused, and took a deep breath. "From the execution?" Hans thought for a moment. Everything was fuzzy and didn't have a real clarity to it.

"Not much…but how am I alive?" Laila sighed, and let go of his hand.

"I have a lot of explaining to do." Hans stared into the darkness quizzically. Suddenly, Laila began to sing. "Flower, gleam and glow; let you power shine; turn back the hands of time." A bright glow lit up the cave, and Hans had to shield his eyes with his good hand from the intensity.

_What the-_

"Bring back what once was mine; heal what has been hurt; change the twist of fate." Suddenly, Hans felt his arm began to heat up. Looking down at his left arm, he gasped when he saw that it glowing. Laila had laid her hair on it, and the glowing golden energy that was radiating off of her was making his arm glow.

_Oh my God... _

"Save what has been lost; bring back what once was mine. What once was mine." As Laila finished her singing, the glowing gently disappeared, from the roots to the tips down. The bright light however, had changed the atmosphere of the cave completely from a dark hole to a livable space, all due to a little light. Hans now had the chance to look at himself, and when Laila stood up and her hair flew off his arm, his jaw hit the floor. The previously broken arm was mended and felt completely normal. He flexed his fingers, testing it.

_What the actual hell... What the actual HELL!_

He opened his mouth to scream, but Laila put a hand over it, stifling the outcry. "Please, not here. It's not safe. Too many guards still crawling around up there." She looked so scared and concerned. Hans shoved her arm away.

"What the hell Laila! What was THAT!? How long have you been able… why didn't you tell… how does it… what?!" Hans was a mess, all the questions he was thinking spilling out of his mouth. Laila giggled, obviously amused by his reaction. "This is not funny!" He looked down at his newly repaired arm with terror. Laila sighed, and sat down next to him. She took his hand in hers, but he gently slid it away.

"Hans…this is a very long story. Do you really want to hear it, or can you just trust me?" Laila's eyes pleaded with him, but he needed to know.

_I HAVE to know. _

"No Laila, I need to know." Laila sighed, and put her rested her head on her hands.

"Okay…" She took a deep breath, and began. "It all started before I was born. Do you know anything about Corona?" Hans thought for a moment before answering.

"Not much, but I know they have a daughter who just recently returned. Why?"

"Well, that daughter's name is Rapunzel. She has the same magic I have, but it's different. Anyway, Rapunzel's mother was very sick, and she needed a miracle. Or, a magic golden flower."

_What is she talking about?_

"The flower I'm referring to is a beautiful lily that came from a drop of pure sunlight that fell into the ground. Rapunzel's kingdom used this flower to save her and her mother, and that's what gave Rapunzel her golden hair and her healing power. But, the sun didn't lose one drop of sunlight." Laila turned to Hans, fear written all over her face. "It lost two." She took a moment to compose herself before going on. "When I was born, I wouldn't move. I wouldn't open my eyes or cry, and my parents were losing hope. However, they heard of a place just outside our village that was said to have special properties. So they went to it; turns out it was a pond. The sage there told my parents to put me in the water, and they did. Just as they set me down, the sun passed overhead; it was noon. That's when it happened. The sun dropped its sunlit raindrop, and it fell. And guess who it landed on." Laila smirked. "Me. The magic of the sun healed me, and gave me these powers. To heal, and to fight. That's something Rapunzel doesn't have. I can make sunlight." She held out her hands, and with a deep breath, a small orb of light appeared in her hands. Hans looked at it with terror and awe. She extinguished the light and sighed. "But another thing is I won't lose my power if my hair is cut. It will always be there. I guess it makes sense; I mean, Rapunzel got the sun power through a flower. Maybe it got weakened somewhere along the line. I got hit straight with the magic." She glanced at Hans, and saw the look of shock on his face.

"So…so…so you're…magical too? Like… like…Elsa?" He spat the last word out.

_Evil witch. _

"I-I guess." Suddenly, she connected the dots. She stood up quickly. "Hans… you're not going to...kill me…are you?"


	5. D-E-M-O-N

_Does she really think…_

"Why would you say that?" he whispered. Laila scoffed, and her laughter sounded like rusty nails on a chalkboard.

"Why would I say that? Why would I say that?! Hans, you tried to KILL two people! KILL. K-I-L-L kill!"

_…Enough. _

"Hans, you called Elsa a monster!"

"How do you know that?"

"Ha, didn't you know you talk in your sleep?" Laila sat back down, but this time just out of his reach. "I know everything Hans. Whether it came from you or the gossip and whispers I've heard, I know everything about you."

_Why you little-_

"You know everything about me? Really? If you're such an expert on my life, why don't you just tell me what's going to happen next! Because I have no freaking clue!" Hans yelled, his voice carrying around the cave. "My entire life has been spent trying to live up to my brothers, trying to-to PLEASE them! And when I finally got the chance to prove myself, a freaking WINTER dropped in! I would've been king, and no one would've gotten hurt! I hadn't planned on killing Anna, that was fate and a spur of the moment decision. And you know what, so what if I did try to kill Elsa?! She is a monster, a filthy-ass WITCH who can't control her emotions! Arendelle would've been better off without her!"

"Well you know what, YOUR HIGHNESS, my life hasn't been so easy either! You think this power is a gift?! Well, think again! I've been ridiculed, tortured, spat on, and ignored for most of my life because I am different!" Laila was fuming, her eyes seemingly glowing in the faint light. She looked down at her sleeve momentarily before lifting it up. "Do you see this? Do you!?" She pointed to her forearm, and in the faint light Hans could see the word D-E-M-O-N carved into her arm in scars.

_Oh my God…_

"This is what they did to me. I tried to heal him. I tried to save him." She began to sob, uncontrollable tears that fell in rivers. "But he was already dead! And this is what they did to me. His father, pinned me down and carved into my arm with a knife. 'What good are your powers if they don't work?' he screamed. 'What good is a useless little bitch who can't do as she's told?' he fumed. 'What good is a filthy ass peasant WHO DESERVES TO BE DEAD?!'" She screamed on every word, the memories flooding back to her. Hans was silent. Never before had he heard a story like this one. He was almost ashamed of himself for trying to compare his life with hers. Sure, he had it bad; but he didn't have to word demon permanently branded on his forearm. He scooted closer to Laila and took her hand in his. Gently, he traced his finger over the D on her arm.

"D for daring…" He ran his finger lightly over the E. "E for efficient…M for mind-blowing…O for outstanding…And N for never gives up." His hand was almost on her shoulder. He went for it, and embraced her in a big hug. She sobbed into him, her head pressed against his shoulder. "Laila…you are so much more than what they have called you. And I would never, ever think about hurting you."

_Liar. _


	6. You Play with Fire, You Get Burned

"Hans…why are you, I don't know, nice to me? Why do you care about me?"

_Yeah, why do I care about you? __Why do I feel like I have to… to protect you?_

"Because Laila…I…I-I don't know. As a kid, my whole life was spent living alone. Being ignored and shunned. Naturally I want to come out on top. Prove everyone wrong." He paused, and closed his eyes. "But standing on those gallows, my life about to come to a screeching halt, I realized just how terrified I am of dying. How much of a coward I am. I mean, Anna was so brave. She knew she was going to die if she saved Elsa, and she did it anyway." He sighed.

_She really was so selfless…_

"I will never have that kind of bravery or that kind of love for someone. And I can't believe I inflicted that kind of fear, that terror, onto Anna and Elsa." He stroked Laila's hair, a measure of comfort for both him and her. Laila slowly tugged away from the hug. Pulling down her sleeve to cover the word, she wiped her eyes and looked up at Hans. Never before had he seen such beautiful eyes. They were the color of what he imagined the inside of the sun looked like- a deep, bright golden. Actually mostly brown with golden flecks, they reminded him of stars. He gently cupped her face in his hand, and leaned in, expecting her soft lips against his.

But she wasn't there. Laila had moved away from him, and was staring at him with an expression of both confusion and fear.

_Oh, heaven help me, what have I done?_

"Hans…" she started to speak, but she looked away from him, sadness written all over her face. That was enough for him. Gently standing, he brushed off his pants and walked to the entrance of the cave.

"No. It's okay. I-I don't know what I was thinking. It was stupid." He stepped out into the light, when suddenly the ache in his chest returned.

_What is this? _

Panic began to rise. He felt overcome with dread as a sharp, quick lightning bolt of pain shot through him. He grimaced, and leaned against the wall for support.

_Am I having a heart attack? No, that's ridiculous, I'm too young. _

But it happened again. This time faster, and the pain lingered, taking his breath away and making him cry out softly.

"Hans?" Laila looked up at him, and when she saw him leaning against the wall she stood up and helped him. When her hand touched his, she immediately recoiled. "Hans…you're burning up!"

_What?_

"Your skin…it's hot!" She gently guided him to the floor and helped him sit down. At that moment, she watched a lock of his fiery-red hair streak to golden blonde. Laila screamed.

"What? What?!" Hans shouted. Suddenly, another bought of searing heat attacked him. He felt on fire from the inside out, and every pore on his body was perspiring. He gasped for air, and grabbed his chest. Furiously, his hands shaking, he pulled off his boots and socks. He rolled up his pant legs, and laid down on the cool rock, his mind numb.

"Ha-Hans…?" Laila's voice quivered, and she gently took his hand in hers.

_W-why am I so hot? Am I sick? Typhoid? Influenza? Pneumonia? What the hell is the matter with me?!_

"Hans…y-your hair…it's turning b-blonde."

"WHAT?"

"Here. Look for yourself." From her pocket Laila pulled a small hand mirror. Hans took it in his, and screamed at his reflection. For there, starting at the crown of his head and ending where the hair did, was a bright blonde streak. He dropped the mirror, ignoring the crash and the broken glass. He sat up, and ran his fingers through his hair. The pain had slowly ebbed, leaving nothing of its visit but a steady ache. He panted and gasped, breathing suddenly becoming a normal thing again.

"H-how did this happen? What's wrong with me?"

"I don't know!"

"Well, can't you heal me? Use your special sun magic?" Hans was reaching a point of panic, of anxiety. His chest heaved with an increased heart rate.

"If I don't know what's wrong with you, I can't help you."

_This isn't happening. _

"Okay, so what do we do now?"

"…I don't know."


	7. The Wisps

"Well, you better find out because this wasn't a problem before I met you!"

"Are you trying to blame this on me?"

"You're the one with the crazy sun magic! Figure something out!" Hans grimaced as a slight quiver of heat was sent through his body. Laila sighed and put her head in her hands. Suddenly, she jolted up and looked straight at Hans.

"The sages! They can help us!"

"The who?"

"The sages. Remember when I was telling you my story, that part where my parents took me to the magic pond?"

"Yeah, so?" _What is she getting at? _

"There are people who guard it, sages as they're called. If anyone can help us it's them." Laila smiled with confidence.

"Okay, so how do you get there?"

"We head east. To where the sun begins to rise."

/\

Hans stumbled through the undergrowth, pushing aside tree branches and leaves in his way.

_This is ludicrous. _

He stepped across a small stream, nothing more than a trickle really, when suddenly another bought of searing heat overcame him. Gasping for air, Hans could feel his lungs seize with the effort it took to breathe, the oxygen only fueling the flames within. He fell to his knees, grabbing his chest. Finally, it subsided. Heaving and dripping with sweat, Hans looked at his mirrored reflection in the water. His red hair as streaked with gold, and his face was flushed.

_I hate feeling so weak. _

He splashed some water on his face, letting it soothe the agony he felt and calm the raging storm inside.

"Come on slow poke, we're burning daylight!" Laila called out. Hans growled, deep in his throat.

"I don't know what you think is funny, but in case you haven't noticed I'm DYING over here!"

"Shut it, ya big baby."

_Who do you think you are?_

"How far away are we? From these…sages or whoever?" Hans asked, his breath already short.

_ This royally sucks. _

Laila pushed away some tree branches, revealing a brush filled landscape covered in rocks and greenery. Light shone brightly into the center through the trees, illuminating the pond in the center of a stone etched ground-one where the etching was a sun. Around the clearing, torches were standing guard, the wicks blowing gently in the breeze. Hans looked around in awe, taking in the beautiful surroundings. "Wow…" he whispered.

"We're here. The sages should be around here somewhere…" Laila looked around for a moment, then cupped her hands around her mouth and called-"Hey! Guys! I need your help! Can you come out please?" Nothing happened. Hans looked around. He didn't know what he was supposed to expect, but this was not it.

Suddenly, Laila clapped her hands together. "Oh! How could I forget?" She walked to the edge of the pond and stood with her back straight. She raised her hands into the air, and from them came a bright sunlight. She bent down and placed her hands on the water. The water exploded with a light so bright Hans had to shield his eyes. Once it had toned down, he watched in amazement as Laila used the sunlight as a method of walking across the water. She stood in the center, and summoned more sunlight, and lit the wicks of each torch around the pond. The torches burned bright, but not for long. Wind swept across the pond, blowing them out.

_What is going on?_

Suddenly, bright lights appeared out of nowhere. Like fireflies, little bursts of light were popping up all around them. One even landed on Hans' shoulder.

"Hey, get off of me!" He shouted, and swatted the light-thing away. That's when he got a good look at it. Like a tiny spirit, the ball had a face and little arms. It looked like the will-o-the-wisps he had read about as a kid. "Wow…" He reached out to touch it, but the wisp was gone. It gathered with its friends around Laila, who was giggling and smiling as the wisps played in her hair and landed on her outstretched hands.

"Hello friends! It's been too long. Do you think you can help us?"


End file.
